Editorials

During the City Council’s special quarterly meeting tonight, the police department will present the council with information about city crime trends and police staffing issues.  

Mayor Shirley Dean said she requested the presentation three months ago because of a perceived increase in crime rates.  

“My sense is that we’ve got some problems,” she said. “I have heard from neighbors in south and north Berkeley who say there’s been an increase in certain types of crime.” 

Dean pointed to a recent double homicide that occurred on 64th Street on Jan. 22. and a recent residential robbery and assault that occurred in the 3700 block of Claremont Avenue on Jan. 17. 

City Clerk Sherry Kelly will also demonstrate new Council Electronic Voting and Parliamentarian Equipment. 

The council will set aside 30 minutes for public comment at the beginning of the meeting. 

The council will hold a closed session meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Sixth Floor Conference Room at 2180 Milvia St.  

The council will confer with he City Attorney’s Office about the city’s potential suit against UC Berkeley over planned development in the Northeast Quadrant Science and Safety Projects. 

And council will also discuss the threat of a lawsuit by a developer over the city’s affordable housing ordinance in relation to the Library Gardens at 2020 Kittredge St. 

The council has set aside 10 minutes prior to the meeting for public comment. 

The City Council special quarterly meeting will be held tonight at 2134 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. The meeting will also be broadcast live on the KPFA Radio, 89.3 and Cable B-TV, Channel 25